Post-holiday Toy Fund donations roll in
May 14—Every charity should have friends like the Drummond family.
Josiah H. Drummond and Anne (Strahan) Drummond were a young married couple in Portland in 1949 when they made a donation to a new charity that set out to buy Christmas gifts for a thousand children whose parents could not afford them.
As the charity grew, and as their family grew, the couple kept giving each year and eventually handed down the annual tradition to their children.
In recent years, the most loyal of the Press Herald Toy Fund's donors have mailed checks under the pseudonym JOCIJIANNA, which is an acronym that includes the first two letters of each Drummond sibling's name. Their latest gift keeps the streak unbroken and is listed below among the most recent donations to the Toy Fund, which continues to add to its fundraising total even as it gears up for another holiday gift and fundraising drive.
Recent donations also include gifts in the memory of David McHugh Sr., a beloved member of the South Portland community, a devoted family man and baseball fan, and a generous spirit who died in March.
The Toy Fund has now raised more than $197,000 since last fall. Money donated by readers, along with the hard work of volunteers, made it possible to provide new toys and books to more than 2,600 Maine children in need during the last holiday season.
The Toy Fund accepts donations year-round, so it is never too late to pitch in. To make a donation online, go to pressherald.com/toy-fund.
Checks made out to the Portland Press Herald Toy Fund may be mailed to 295 Gannett Drive, South Portland ME 04106.
Names of donors are published in the Press Herald unless a donor wishes to remain anonymous.
LATEST DONATIONS:
(note: some donations include an additional amount to cover transaction fees)
Dorothy York $50
D&G Machine Products Inc. $1,500
American Online Giving Foundation $65
Bruce Hopkins $125
CLYNK To Give $125
Bet Foster $200
Paul and Kathleen Anderson $5,000
Ron and Linda Maguire, in memory of David McHugh Sr. $40
John Caterina, in memory of David McHugh $50
JOCIJIANNA Supporting the Toy Fund for 74 years! $500
Anonymous, because Christmas is for kids! $17.50
Anonymous, because Christmas is for kids! $17.50
Anonymous, because Christmas is for kids! $17.50
SerenityMe, 25% of December Donations $100
Laurie, in memory of David McHugh $52.91
Judy & Peter Joe's cousins, in memory of David McHugh $52.91
Anonymous: Dear Joe, Doreen, Alex and Danny. In memory of your dad and grandfather. With love, Lisa, Tom and Family $31.87
TOTAL TO DATE: $197,331.53
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